Body Image & Self Esteem

Do You Suffer Negative Body Image?

In a culture that values thinness, muscularity, and appearance over personal values, it can be challenging to love and accept your body the way it is. Many people in our culture suffer from a distorted perception of their body. Have you ever felt too fat or too thin, only to find that others have a very different perception? These are examples of body image disorders.

Body image disorder is a belief that one’s body is unacceptable – something to be disparaged, hated and hidden. When these feelings interfere with social and/or occupational functioning, increase anxiety and depression, or lead to the development of eating disorder behaviors, it’s time to seek professional help.

How Can I Accept, let alone Love my Body?

Research shows that psychotherapy, especially cognitive therapy (also known as cognitive behavioral therapy), is the most effective way for people to overcome body image disorder. Understanding the social and familial roots of body image expectations, learning to challenge these beliefs, and becoming a body positive advocate the key pieces for recovery.

Tips From Top Experts

Tools recommended by top researchers in the field of body image treatment include the following:

Desensitize yourself to body exposure through imagination and systematic desensitization

Identify negative body image thoughts and begin the work of adjusting those errors in judgment

Identify and challenge self-defeating and avoidant behaviors

Develop new strategies to deal with difficult events and people that provoke negative body image

Create and practice relapse prevention strategies, with a professional’s help

We can help you make peace with your body, accept it for how it is, and even find joy and happiness in it. Call CEDM at (603) 472-2846 today or CLICK HERE to contact our Intake Coordinator.

While other medical personnel were seeing our daughter for months with no definitive diagnosis, we were literally losing her. It really was almost too late. Fortunately, we found The Center for Eating Disorders Management. Within minutes of her intake evaluation, she was diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa. Her heart and organs were in jeopardy. After two weeks of hospitalization, she was transferred to your “Intensive Outpatient Treatment Program”, where she received medical monitoring and therapy. One year later, we believe that your professional and supportive program has helped turn our daughter’s life around. Thank you for saving our daughter’s life!

KS and BS (parents of 17-year-old patient)

I just want to say Thank You for all the help I got. I certainly wouldn’t have made it this far without all the great care I received.

Client

The Center for Eating Disorders Management helped me get my life back. I was able to graduate on time with my high school class, and am now succeeding at college.

Client

* Mental health and neurofeedback treatment is not an exact science, therefore no guarantees can be made regarding the process or outcome of these services.
Individual results may vary.